CLEVELAND (Ticker) -- If only the Cleveland Cavaliers could play
the Minnesota Timberwolves every night.

Wesley Person scored 27 points and Andre Miller added 17 as the
Cavaliers shut down All-Star Kevin Garnett and snapped a 12-game
losing streak with a 114-81 rout of the Timberwolves.

Cleveland entered with the second-longest losing streak in team
history, while Minnesota was just one-half game behind
first-place Dallas in the Midwest Division. But for one night,
the roles were reversed as the Cavs took over in the third
quarter. They shot an amazing 70.5 percent (12-of-17) to extend
a 48-40 halftime lead to 85-58.

"No one gave us a chance tonight," Person said. "It was fun to
win, and this team nver quits. Overall, we have been in a
couple of games; other than the Golden State game, we have been
right there."

The game quickly turned in Cleveland's favor in the first four
minutes of the second half, when it opened with a 19-2 run.

Person scored eight points during the burst on an uncontested
jumper and two 3-pointers. He had 16 on 7-of-7 shooting in the
period and finished 12-of-18.

"When you are in a zone and everything you throw up is going in,
you say to yourself, `This is my night'," Person said. "The
first five minutes of the third, plus our defense, made a big
difference. We made our run tonight instead of the opposite
(happening)."

The third quarter was an extension of a 45-4 stretch that
bridged the second and third quarters. Minnesota had taken a
39-30 lead with 3:37 left in the second following a three-point
play by Anthony Peeler.

"I'd like to say that I have a magic wand and wave it for all
the things we need to do that we will do," Minnesota coach Flip
Saunders said. "We weren't even in the game. We were up 39-30
and they went on an unbelievable run."

Minnesota has emerged as an elite team in the Western Conference
by going 19-2 at home. However, it has dropped three straight
on the road and is just 12-11 away from the Target Center.

"Right now what has happened is that when teams make a run at
us, we've rolled over in our last three games on the road," he
said. "When the other team makes a run, you've got to dig in,
and we haven't dug in our heels."

In Friday's 104-100 loss at Toronto, Minnesota fell behind by 18
points at intermission and only a late run kept it in a game in
which it never led. Two nights earlier, in a 104-83 loss at
Detroit, the Wolves were outscored, 34-12, in the second
quarter.

"On the road, it seems to be a little mental," Garnett said. "We
have to focus as a team, got to move the ball. Wally
(Szczerbiak) got only six shots, we can't have that. We have a
flow in offense. When it stops flowing, guys like Wally, Joe
(Smith) and guys off the bench don't look effective. We have to
go back to the drawing board and bounce back."

In the first meeting on November 13 in Minnesota, Cleveland
coach John Lucas employed a zone defense in a 107-103 victory.
He also used that strategy Tuesday as the Cavs limited Garnett
to 14 points and the Wolves to 33 percent (30-of-89) shooting.

Garnett was 7-of-23 and missed his last nine shots as the Wolves
went 1-for-15 during Cleveland's surge.

"I thought that when we went on the run, it was big," Lucas
said. "But more importantly was the third quarter. We didn't
give them any momentum and kept playing. What I have tried to
keep selling to this team is keep your mouth shut and keep
working."

Lucas' use of the zone also helped against Szczerbiak, who was
named as a reserve to the Western Conference All-Star team
before the game but just three points on 1-of-6 shooting. He
did not score until draining a meaningless 3-pointer with 4:57
to go in the fourth quarter.

"I've just got to make sure to keep my head in the game and keep
playing hard on the defensive end and do what I can to help on
the offensive end to get a few touches," Szczerbiak said.

"We ran our offense," Saunders added. "I think the Cavs did a
good job of pushing into him a little bit. We were out of sync.
I don't think he was as aggressive as he has been and I don't
think we did a good job of trying to find him."